Chapter 1: A Dream Torn and Reborn

Christian Mason was the pride of his family, a football prodigy at the tender age of 18. As a forward for Manchester City's U-18 team, he was known for his blistering speed, pinpoint accuracy, and the killer instinct that made him a rising star. His ambition was clear: to one day be recognized as the best striker in the world. Every day was a step toward that dream. His life was football.

One fateful morning, Christian was on his usual walk to practice, his headphones blaring music, his mind focused on the upcoming matches. But as he neared a crosswalk, something caught his attention. An elderly woman was slowly crossing the street, oblivious to the changing light. At first, Christian thought nothing of it—until he noticed the distant roar of an engine.

A large truck, hurtling toward the intersection at full speed, had no time to stop.

Christian's instincts kicked in. Without thinking, he sprinted forward. "Move!" he shouted, his voice lost in the noise. Reaching the old woman just in time, he pushed her out of the way. She stumbled to safety, but in his haste, Christian's own leg was left exposed.

The impact was brutal.

The truck's front fender collided with his right leg, and in an instant, Christian's world shattered into pain. He hit the pavement hard, the searing agony in his leg more intense than anything he had ever felt on the field. His screams echoed through the street as his vision blurred. The last thing he heard before everything went black was the old woman screaming for help.

When Christian awoke, he was in a hospital bed, his leg wrapped in a heavy cast. His mother sat beside him, her eyes red from crying. The doctor stood at the foot of the bed, his expression grim.

"Christian," the doctor began, his voice heavy with regret, "I'm sorry, but the damage to your leg… It's extensive. We managed to save it, but the nerve damage is too severe. The strain of football—" The doctor hesitated. "You'll never be able to play professionally again."

Christian's world collapsed in that moment. Tears streamed down his face as the weight of the words sank in. His dream—his purpose—was gone.

For weeks, Christian was consumed by depression. Football had been everything to him, and now it was taken away. He refused to see visitors, barely spoke to his mother, and spent his days staring out the hospital window, feeling the emptiness that now filled his life.

Then one day, his teammates came to visit him, determined to cheer him up. They brought a stack of manga with them. "You gotta read this," one of them said, holding up the first volume of Blue Lock. "It's about a program designed to create the best striker in the world. It's insane. You'll love it."

At first, Christian wasn't interested. But with nothing else to do, he picked up the book and began to read. Hours passed, and soon he was engrossed in the story of Blue Lock—a brutal, cutthroat program where young strikers competed to become the greatest forward in Japan. The characters' raw ambition, their hunger for greatness, their willingness to do whatever it took to win—it resonated with him deeply. This is what I used to be like, he thought. This is what I wanted.

As the days passed, Christian devoured every volume of Blue Lock, and with each page, something within him stirred. A fire that had been snuffed out was starting to rekindle.

Months later, Christian had recovered enough to walk, though his leg would never be the same. He enrolled in college, trying to move on from football. But the ache of his lost dream never left him.

One evening, while walking near an alley, he heard the sounds of a struggle. A young woman was being accosted by a man, and without thinking, Christian rushed to intervene. He grabbed the attacker, pulling him off the woman, but in the chaos, the man pulled a knife. Christian felt the cold steel plunge into his abdomen, once, twice, three times.

As he fell to the ground, blood pooling beneath him, his vision began to fade. His last thoughts were of his mother, and the dream he never got to realize.

When Christian next opened his eyes, he was in a strange, white room. The pain from the stabbing was gone, replaced by a numb sense of confusion. In front of him stood an old man, with a long white beard and robes that made him look eerily like Dumbledore from Harry Potter.

"Where… am I?" Christian asked, his voice hoarse.

"You're in the realm between life and death," the old man said, his tone calm and gentle. "A place for those who have yet to fully pass on."

Christian blinked in shock. I'm dead?

"Not quite," the old man replied, as though reading his thoughts. "You see, Christian, the woman you saved on that street—my grandmother."

"What?" Christian's mind raced. That old lady… she was his grandmother?

The old man nodded. "She had retired from her duties as a goddess, choosing to live out her final days as a mortal. If it weren't for you, she would have been lost to the afterlife. For this, I owe you a great debt."

Christian was speechless. A goddess? A god? This was beyond comprehension.

"As thanks," the old man continued, "I will offer you something most mortals never receive—a second chance. You may choose to reincarnate into any world of your choice, and I will grant you four wishes to aid you in your new life."

Christian's heart raced with excitement. A second chance? His mind immediately went to the world of Blue Lock—a place where his dream of being the greatest striker could still be realized.

"I want to go to the world of Blue Lock," Christian said without hesitation. "And my four wishes are—"

1st Wish: Ultimate Copy - This ability is an enhanced version of Ryota Kise's Perfect Copy. It allows the user to copy any ability seen, but this version also enables the user to perfectly integrate the copied ability into their own playstyle, augmenting the user's talents to accommodate the copied abilities.

2nd Wish: God-Speed Impulse - This innate talent allows the user to move and react with near-superhuman speed. It also enables the user to learn complex physical maneuvers in a short time.

3rd Wish: Perfect Body - This body allows the user to max out their physical potential, pushing the limits of human speed, power, agility, endurance, strength, vertical leap, stamina, and flexibility. It also enhances the user's intelligence, memory, reaction speed, and processing ability.

4th Wish: Perfect Ego - This ability allows the user's ego to process all ego traits, meaning the user's ego can devour any opponent in any situation. The user will grow stronger in any environment they are placed in.

The old man smiled. "Very well. Your wishes are granted. You will reincarnate into the body of a Blue Lock player. May you achieve the greatness you seek, Christian."

And with that, Christian's new journey began. The path to becoming the greatest striker in the world had just reopened.